The Anti-Inflammatory Role of Vitamin E in Prevention of Osteoporosis

Abstract EN

There is growing evidence that inflammation may be one of the causal factors of osteoporosis.

Several cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, RANKL, OPG, and M-CSF were implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis.

These cytokines are important determinants of osteoclast differentiation and its bone resorptive activity.

Anticytokine therapy using cytokine antagonists such as IL-receptor antagonist and TNF-binding protein was able to suppress the activity of the respective cytokines and prevent bone loss.

Several animal studies have shown that vitamin E in the forms of palm-derived tocotrienol and α-tocopherol may prevent osteoporosis in rat models by suppressing IL-1 and IL-6.

Free radicals are known to activate transcription factor NFκB which leads to the production of bone resorbing cytokines.

Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, may be able to neutralise free radicals before they could activate NFκB, therefore suppressing cytokine production and osteoporosis.

Vitamin E has also been shown to inhibit COX-2, the enzyme involved in inflammatory reactions.

Of the two types of vitamin E studied, tocotrienol seemed to be better than tocopherol in terms of its ability to suppress bone-resorbing cytokines.